Closure.



W. R. GOM INGS.

' CLOSURE.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 6, 1907.

Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

-2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Fuel.

'W. R. GOMINGS.

CLOSURE.

A PPLIOATION FILED FEB. 6, 1907.

Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIGLJO v I akin I. I mnttloa wihwaoo o w meeting plaits enables me to UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

WIEIJIAM' RIGHTER? CQMINGS; WIM'BLEDON PARK, ENGEAND.

GIT-08ml.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented l'eb. 2,- 1909.

Application filed February 6, 1907. Serial No. 856,088:

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLiA-M RIGHTER' rial, and in such manner that their surfaces are provided with suitable eorru 'ationsoi" plaits, preferably of the box plait type, adapted to give the article a large capacity for expansion or contraction of an elastic character. These plaits should be of such acharacter that they meet or nearly meet all the way around, and form a practically unbroken smooth surface where they come in contact with the mouth of the rece tacle they are intended to close. This folding of the material into smoothly finished and close produce from comparatlvely melastlc material, stoppers, corks, and similar articles that are whenfinished highly elastic and compressible by the action of these plaits, and therefore very suitable for closing an rece tacles or orifices that re uire a close e astie tting closure.

In or or that my invention may be clearl understood, I will describe the same by re erence to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional view of an expanding and contracting sto per; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a ortion o the same. Fi 3 is a detail section of a stopper expanc ed into ridges or serrations inside the mouth of the receptacle.

- si e elevation of the distending member used .tender forced down and locked.

with Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a stopper similar to :Fig. 6, but with the dis- Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 1', showing the locking means applied thereto.

In carrying out my invention 1 may e mploy means for closmg receptacles WlllGll.

may differ somewhat in. form, making the articles very simple or more elaborate accords mg to the end and purpose 1n view.

Fig. 4 shows the form of box 5 plaits used in the body of the stop ere. Fig.

It is usually he to rovide for considerablevariationsyin lie n iouths of different jars or receptaclesimade nominally of the same size, and. I provide, my stoppers with suitable; means. for. expanding or stretching. them from the. interior until their surfaces are forced out sufiiciently to make themfit tightly. In ig, 1 the body of the stopperl is expended by a distender 1.0, a stop 9 being pro ,vided to prevent the thrust being excessive,

and to direct the thrust. where required, said distender being either cemented to the top of said stopper 1, orsecured by turning or spinning the edges of said distender over the rim of said stopper.

If desired, the mouth of the receptacle may be provided with a series of ridges or serrations 16, into which the stopper Wlll be ex ended, as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5the body 1 is made'with a conical or dished bottom having elastic folds, a plam disk 15 fitting tightly inside the body, so that when it is pressed down itflattens the conical bottom and thus expands the stopper, the disk being a tight fit preventing the bottom from springing up.

The distender can bemadefrom sheet material by stampin up a disk as shown at. 22 into a cone shaped t ish, Fig. 3, provided with corrugations or plaits 18, which will, when the point of the cone is suiliciently pressed, allow the material to flatten out into the disk shape again, thus increasing its circumference over that of the base of the cone. As soon as the flattening ressure has been removed the elasticity o the folds will cause the disk to return to its cone shape again. If such a cone shaped disk '22, Fig.8, is made to past fit inside an elastic cup shaped article 20,

lg. 6,51. will, when pressed upon the point,

flatten out and distend the cup or stopper, as in Fig. .9. I further rovide suitable means for locking the distem er so as to hold the device in its expanded position in the mouth of the receptacle. One convenient way of doin this 18 shown in F i 6, wherein a flexi le stri of metal or ot er material 23 is fixed to lihe center of a plate 21 fixed to the underside'ol the cup or stopper 20, and thenpassed throu h the distender 22, leaving suflicientilengt :above the same to serve as ahandle 29-. .New'when the distender is pressed down, it will not. only of itself exg-gnd, but will also, :by its pressure on the hed cup or stepper :20, cause the latter to expand of itself, as shown in 9, thus causing the distender 22 to dish'in the opposite direction, which of itself will tend to retain the parts in such expanded position.

'Ihe metal strip 23 may then be bent down over distender 22 so as to positively lock the parts in their expanded position.

It will be understood that the metal strip 23 may be employed with the form of stopper shown in Fig. 1, wherein the body portion of the stopper is flat, as shown in Fig. 10.

I also provide means when desired so that a suitable seal or label 25, shown in Fig. 7, can be affixed over the locking strip 23, so that it cannot be unlocked without breaking the said seal or label.

When it is desired to afiix the stopper very firmly I provide the mouth of the receptacle with one or more grooves 17, Fig. 6, into which the material of the stopper 20 is expanded so firmly that it cannot be with drawn until the distender has been unlocked.

'l he stoppers and closers as described above may be made from almost any sheet material, such as paper, leather, rubber, celluloid or metal, or from two or more of such materials in combination.

Where such materials such as paper or leather are used, I generally prefer to coat or impregnate them with waterproofing and germ destroying materials, or other suitable materials adapted to resist the chemical action of the materials packed in the receptacles, and in some cases I apply to the outside of the stopper suitable wax, rubber or similar soft material adapted to pack into any spaces body ortion adapte that may be left between the elastic folds, and thus secure an airtight fit.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention, and in hat manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is 1. In a closure, the combination with a dished body portion formed in radial plaits or folds, of a disk adapted to fit within said body portion and by (pressure on said dished 2. n a closure, the combination with a body portion'having an annular upturned edge, of a distender adapted to fit within said body portion and by pressure to ex and the latter, and means latter annularly, and means for 100 ing said parts in the expanded position.

3. In a'closure, the combination with a body portion having an annular upturned edge, of a dished distender having radial plaits or folds and adapted to fit Within said ody portion and by pressure to expand the or locking said parts in their expanded position.

4. In a closure, the combination with a body portion having an annular upturned edge, and a distender adapted to fit within to expand the latter.

said body portion and by pressure to expand the latter annularly, of a flexible strip attached centrally to said body portion and extending loosely through said distender and adapted when said parts are expanded to be bent to retain said parts in their expanded position.

5. In a closure, the combination with an upwardly dished body portion having an annular upturned edge, a fiat plate fixed to the underside of said body portion, and a distender adapted to fit within said body portion, of a flexible strip attached centrally to said flat plate and extending loosely through said body portion and distender and adapted it hen said parts are expanded to be bent to retain said arts in their expanded position.

6. In a e osure, the combination with an upwardly dished body portion formed in radial plaits or folds and having an annular upturned edge, a fiat plate fixed to the underside of said body portion, and a distender formed in radial plaits or folds and adapted to fit within said body portion, of a flexible strip attached centrally to said flat plate and extending loosely through said body portion and distender and adapted when said parts are expanded to be bent to retain said parts in their expanded position.

7. In a closure, the combination with a body portion having an annular upturned edge, and a dished distender having radial plaits or folds and adapted to lit within said ody portion and by pressure to expand the latter, of a flexible strip attached centrally to said body portion and extending loosely through said distender and adapted when said parts are expanded to be bent to retain said parts in their expanded position.

8. A closure, embodying a body portion formed in radial plaits or folds and having an annular upturned edge, said body portion adapted to be expanded radially.

9. A closure, embodying a dished body ortion formed in radial plaits or folds and aving an annular u turned edge, whereby pressure on said disiied portion will cause said body portion to be expanded radially.

10. A closure, embodying a body portion having an annular upturned edge, and a distender adapted to fit within said body portion, one of said parts being formed in radial plaits or folds, and one of said parts being dished whereby. pressure on said distender will cause said body portion to be expanded annularly.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM RIGHTER COMINGS.

Witnesses:

H. D. JAMESON, F. L. Burns. 

